Typewriting machine



Jan 6, I931. G. F. HANDLEY 1,737,679

TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed Nov. 1, 1929 s sheets-shet 1 INVENTORI i ATTORNEY$ Jan-6, 1931.

G. F.-'HANDLEY TYREWRI'I'ING- MACHINE Filed Nov. 1, 1929 a Shoots-Sheet. 2.

INVENTOR, G'eargcEJzandlq,

ATTORNEYS.

Jan 6, 1931. e. F. HANDLEY TYPEWRITING IACHINE Filed Nov'. 1, 1929 3 Shoots-Shoot, 3

INVENTOR caryeflflarzdlqy,

ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 6,1931

NI E STATES PATENT'OFFICET COMPANY, INC., OF NEW YORK, N.

GEORGE E. HANDLEY, or GLENDALE, New YORK, ASSIGNOR 'ro ROYAL ryrnwnrrnn YL, Aeonroaarron or NEW YORK TYPEWRITIN G MACHINE Application filed November Thisinvention relates to newan'd useful improvements 1n typewrltmg machines generally, although more particularly to a carriage centralizingdevice therefor.

' Portable typewriting machines are generally mounted in carrying casesor cabinets which include a base to which the machine is attached, anda removable cover. These cases are built as small as possible and therefore the width of the case is just sufficient to accommodate the length of the carriage, and the height of the case is just. sufficient to accommodate the machine when the carriage is in its lower position. WVhen it is desired'to apply the cover, it is necessary to centralize tionedtoo far to the right 'or left relative to the main frame, to the extent of several letter spaces, it is practically impossible to apply the cover, and it then becomes necessary for the operator to move the carnage until its exact center position is obtained. Oftentimes the operator, after centralizing the carriage and placing the cover over the machine, finds that the cover w1ll not engage the base owing to the carriage being in its upper position. It

is then necessary for the operator to remove the cover, lower the carriage,an d then reposition the cover.

Among the several objects of my invention are to provide a device which may be readily positioned in the path of movement of the carriage to effect a stoppage of the carriage in'an exact centralizing position; top'rovide such adevice whlch wlll permlt immediate op- 'eration of the machine after the cover has been removed; and to provide such a device which when moved to effective stopplng position, willrelease automatically the shift lock release key to permit the carriage'to move to its lower position. y

p In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 1s a fragmentary elevation of the 'rearportion of the left hand side of a portable 1, 1929. Serial K054011324. T

typewriting machine embodying my invention, the view showing the machine positioned within thecarrying case.

Figure 2 is aside elevation, showing the carriage locked in its upper position, and the centralizing stop located in its normal or inoperative position. v

Figure 3 is a top plan view thereof with the centralizing'stop located in its operative position. i I I Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 2 but showing the centralizing lever in its effective or operating position, and the carriage inits lower position.

Figure 5 is a detail side elevation showing the carriage in upper position as it is'about to be released,the centralizing stop being in operative position and in cooperative relation with the shift lever.

' Figure 6 is a detail side'elevation showing the shift frame and carriage in lower position and the centralizing'stop in its normalp'osition. 1 i r t Figure 7. is adetail top plan view showing the relation between the left wall of the cover and theline-spacing lever, and 1 Figure 8 is a fragmentary top plan view showing the relation between the carriage, spring motor and escapement mechanism.

In. the accompanying drawings I have illustrated'my invention as being applied to a Royal portable machine, such as is shown and described in the patent to Myers, 1,559,-

123, Oct. 27, 1925,'andtherefore only such parts of said m'achine are shown in the ac; companying drawings as will be necessary to sufficiently illustrate the application of my invention; i r In the said drawings I have showna main frame A in which is mounted for vertical movements a shift frame B on which is mounted for letter space movements a carriage C having a platen 5. Type bars Dare mounted on a segment on the main frame in the usual mannerfor cooperation with the platen 5. The carriage Cis supportedon the shift frame B through themedium ofupper and lower pairs of rails 6-6 and 7 7, the former being'fixed to the carriage and the latter being-fixed to'the shift frame- Antifriction balls 8 are disposed between associated upper and lower rails.

The shift frame B has at one side a downwardly extending arm 9 having at its lower.

end an ofiset ear 10 provided with an adjust able stop screw 11. Intermediate its ends the j arm 9 is provided with a headed stud 12 which is engaged by the hooked end 13 of a link 14, which isshown as extending forwar'dly and upwardly. The shift frameB; 1S

' fulcrumed on a rodwhich is journaled at its ends in bearings secured to. the side plates of the mainframe by screws 15, one of" said screws only being shown. A left hand shift key lever 16 is provided at its front end with a key 17. This shiftkeylever is pivotedas atl8- to a bracket 19' secured to the main frame. The shift key lever. 16 is provided with an extension 20 which projects upwardly above the pivot 18 and, is connected at its upper end to the link 1 f. The} shift key lever 16'is also provided with an arm 21 which extends rearwardlyfrom thepivot 18 and isprovided withan vofiset rear end 22 which is adapted'to Contact with the stop screwll when the parts are in normal position and thereby lock the shift frame in its lower case or normal pos1t1on., When the shift key lever 16 is depressed the rearend 22 thereof moves up quickly out of thepath of the stop screw 11. This movement is permitted prior to the beginning of the movement of the shift frame by a slight lost mo.- tion between the hook 13 and-the stud 12.

Continuation of the depression of the shift key. will move the shift, frame to upper case position. V V V. 3 p A" shift lock key 23 has a stem provided with a short forward extension pivoted at '24 to the front portion of the shift key lever 16. The key stem23 is providedwith a lip 25 which is adapted to engage the under side of the shift lever 16. A spring 26 is connected at one end to the shift lock key and at its other end to the shift lever16 and functions v to normally urge the shift lock key 23 in a forward direction. The shift lock key is provided with a dwell or seat 2'? which isadapted to engage a pin 28 fixed to an arm 29 which eXtendsforwardly from the main. frame A. Thus when it is desired to raise the shift frame to its upper position and retain it in sa1d'pos1t1on; the operator urges the Slll'ft.

lock key '23 downwardly and rearwardly. Thismovement'first releases the rear end 22 1 of the shift lever from engagement with the stop 11 and upon contlnued downward movement of the shift lever the link 14 will effect an elevating'movement of the shift frame. lVhen the shift frame reaches its upper pcsi tion the rear pressure exerted on the shift key lock 23 will cause the dwell or seat 2'? to be positioned undenthe pin 28 and upon re lease of said key23 by theoperator the shift frame Wlll lOG lockedin its upperposition.

It will be understood that the friction between the seat 27 and the pin 28 is greater than the tension of the spring 26 and conse quently the shift lock key 23 will remain in its locked position until released. It will also be apparent that if downward pressure is exerted on the key 17 the front end of the shift key lever 16 will be slightly lowered and the 7 spring 26 will then function to return the shift lockskey 23'to its normal position as shown in dotted lines inFigure 2 or as shown in full lines in Figure 4. It therefore follows thatthe shift lock 23 may be released upon upward pressure being exerted against the rear end of the shift key lever 16.

As previously stated,,my invention is particularly adaptedfor use in connection with portable machines and usually these machines are mounted in ,carrying cases, each case including a base 29 and a. cover, 30.

The machine issfixedly secured to the base 29 V which'includes the usual pinion 33 and feed and rigidly connected with the opposite ends of the feedrack 3e are carriage release arms or levers 36and 37 the former being located at the left .hand endof the carriage and the latterbeing located at the right hand end thereof. It will be understood that the feed rack 34 is normally held in co-operative engagement with the escapement pinions 33 through the..medium of a spring (not shown). 7 p V In order to positively center the carriage relative to the main frame preparatory to positioning the cover 30 on the base 29, I have provided a manually operable centralg izing device or stop which consists of an arm 38. This arm 38 is pivoted at its lower end as at 39 to the left hand side plate of the main frame and the upper end of this arm projects rack 34. The feed rack 34 is pivotally mounted at its ends as at 35 to the carriage ends above the upperedge of said side plate and is normally disposed in rear of the path of movement; of the carriage C. Normally the upper end of the arm 38 rests against an inwardly extending flange :40 on the rear plate or wall of the main frame, and is yieldingly held in said normal position by means of a spring 411; one end'of the spring being fixed to the rear wall of the main framev and the other end of the spring being fixed to the arm 38. The upper end of the arm 38 is provided with a portion 42 whichloverhangs thele ft hand wall of the main frame and terminates at itsside in an upwardly extending stop finger 43; Extending rearwardly from the upper end of the arm 38 is a finger piece 44 by means of which the stop arm 38 may be swung forwardly against the tension of the spring 41 into the position where the stop or head 43 will be located in the path of movement of the carriage, such position being shown in full lines in Figures 3, 4 and 5 and in dotted lines in Figure'Q. In this position of the arm 38 the stop finger 43 is adapted to be engaged by the left hand end of the a'djacentflrail 6 of the carriage and thereby [stop further movement of the carriage inlatter space direction.

When it is desired to centralize the carriage, the operator first moves the carriage to the right and then swings the centralizing lever 38 forwardly with his left hand to operative position, and simultaneously operates the right hand carriage release lever 37. The operator holds the centralizing lever 38in its operative position While the carriage is being released and while the carriage is moved towards theleft' and until it engages the stop finger '43 of said centralizinglever.

The operator then removes his hand from the centralizing lever 38, and the pressure of the carriage exerted against the stop finger '43, due to the pull of the spr'ing motor-il being greater than the; pull of the spring 41, will create sufficient friction between the car riageand the stop finger 43 to retain the centralizing lever 38 in its operative position until the carriage hasbeen slightly 'moved toward the right. Theforward movement of the centralizing lever 38 is limited by reason of the lever engaging the shift frame bearing which is secured to the main frame bythe screw 15.

If the shift frame is locked in its upper position as previously described the rear end 22 of the shift key lever 16 will be locked in an elevated position as shown in full lines in F igure 2. The centralizing lever 38 is provided with an extension 45 having an inclined upper end 46 which is adapted" whenthe lever 38 is'movedforwardly to operative position, to engage and cam the rear end 22 of the shift lever and thereby elevate said end as'shown in dotted lines in Figure 2. The elevation of the rear end of this shift frame lever 16' resultsin the forward end thereof being lowered and consequentlyfthe shift lock key 23wi11 beimmediately released from its-locking engagement with the pin 28. While the centralizing lever 38 is moved to its operative position and the shift lock key 23 released thereby, the operator moves the carriage release lever 37 and the carriage then moves toward the left or in letter space direction until the carriagefrictionally engagesthe stop finger 43 ofsaid centralizingle'ver. Asabove stated, the centralizing lever is held suflicient to receive the machine with the line spacing lever located in its normal or extended position as shown'in dotted line in Figure 7. VVhenthe cover applied the left hand wall thereof is engaged with'the free end of the line spacing lever 47 so as to swing'the latter inwardly to the full line position shown in Figure 7. This movement is 'towards the right anda slight increased pressure in the same direction will cause the carriage to be moved a trifle towards the right so as to release the centralizing lever 38 and permit the latter to be returned to its normal position by the spring 41. When thecentralizing lever 38 is thus returned to its normal positionthecam 46 of said lever is moved out of thepath of the rear end 22 of the shift lever 16 and consequently the shift frame B will gravitateto its lower position, the rear end 22 of the shiftlever returning to its initial or normal position in front of the stopscrew 11 to retain the shift frame in its'lower position.

have provided adevice which is normally out of the path of the movement of the carriage and is movableinto said path for cooperation with the carriage to-center the latter, and thatsaid, device also cooperates with the shift key lever 16 when the shift frame is locked to lock the frame in its'upper position, and a r i '100 From the foregoing it will'be seen that I lever, a shift lock cooperating with the lever I device normally located out of the path of movement ofthe carriage and movable into.

said path forcooperation with the carriage to center the latter and to effect release of the shift lock; I p

2. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a shift frame, of a carriage mounted thereon for letter, space movements,'a shift lever, a shift lock cooperating with the lever to lock the frame in its upper position, and

a devicenormally located out of the path of movement of the carriage and movable into saidpath for cooperation with the carriage to center the latter :and t-o directly engage saidshift lever to release said shift lock.

3. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a main frame, of a sh'ft frame mounted thereon for. vertical movements,a carriage mounted on said shift f 'ame for letter space movements, an escapement meclr anism normally engaged with said carriage, means forreleasing said escapement mech anism, ashift lever, a shift lock cooperating with the shift lever and main frame to lock said'shift frame in its upper position, and a device normally located out ofthe path of movement of the carriage and movable into said path for cooperation with the carriage to center the latter and to directlyengage said shift lever to release said shift lock.

- l. Ina typewriting machine, the combination witha shift frame, of a carriage mounted thereon for letter space movements, a shift lever normally having its rear end engageable with the shiftframefor retaining-the latter in its lower position, a shift lock cooperating with the lever to lock the frame in its upper position, and a device normally located out of the path of movement of the carriage and 'movable into said path for cooperation with the carnage to centerthe latter and to directly engage the rear end of the shift lever to re lease the shift lock.

5. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a shift frame including an arm, of

a carriage mounted on said'frame for letter space movements, a shift lever normally having its rear end engageable with the arm of the shift frame for retaining the latter in its lower position, a shift lock cooperating with the lever to lock the frame inits upper position, and a devicenormally located out of the path of movement of the carriage and movable into said path for cooperation with the carriage to center the latter and to directly'engage-the'rear end of the shift lever to release the shift lock.

6. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a main frame, of a shiftframe Imounted thereon for vertical movements, a

carriage mounted onflsaid shift iframe for letter space movements, a shift lever, a shift lock cooperating witlrthe shiftlever to lock said shift frame in its upper position, and a 7 stop lever pivoted on themain frame and normally located out of the path of movement 'of the carriage and movable intosaid path for cooperation with the carriage to center the latter and to directly engage said shift l ver to release said shift lock.

7. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a main-frame, of a shift frame mounted thereon for vertical movements and including an arm, a carriage mounted on said shift frame for letter-space movements,

a shift lever normally having its rear end engageable wlth the arm of the shift frame for retaining the latter v1n 1ts lower position,

a shift lock cooperating with the shift lever to lock said shift frame in its upper position, and a stop lever pivoted on the main frame and normally located out-0f the path of movement of the carriage and movable into said pathfor cooperation with the carriage tocenterthe latter and to, directly engage the rear end Of'SalCl shift lever to release said'shift lock.

8. In a typewriting machine, the combina 5,

tion' with a main frame, of a shift frame mounted thereon for vertical movements, a carriage mounted on said shift frame for letter space movements, a shift lever, a shift lock cooperating with the shift lever to lock said shift frame in its upper position, a stop lever pivoted on the main frame and normally located outof the path of movement of the carriage andmovable into said path for cooperation with'the carriage to center 7 the latter to directly engage-said shift lever tion, a stop lever pivoted on the main frame i and normally located out of the path of movement of the carriage and movable. into said path for cooperation-with the carriage to center the latter and to directly engage the rear end of said shift leverto releasesaid shift lock, and a spring for normally holding said pivoted stop lever out of the path ofmovement of said carriage.

10. In a typewriting' machine, the combination with a carriage and a motor for moving the carriage'in one direction, of an escapement mechanism for the carriage, means for releasing said escapement mechanism, and a device normally out of the path of movement of the carriage and movable into said path for cooperation with the carriage to center the latter, said device being directly engagedloy-the carriage and heldin its operative position by the carriage un .der the influence of said motor.

11; 1111a typewriting machine, the combination with aca-rriage and a motor, for moving the carriage in one'directiomof an escapement mechanism for the carriage, means for releasing said'eseapement mechanism, a device normallyout ofthe pathof movement of the carriage and movable into said path for cooperation withthe carriage to center the latter, and a spring for normally holdlngsaid centering device out of the path Mergers of movement of the carriage, said device being directly engaged by the carriage and held in its operative position by the carriage under the influence of said motor.

12. In a typevvriting machine, the combi -lower position to the upper position, means cooperating with the shift lever for locking the movable element in'its upper position,

and a carriage centralizing lever cooperable' with the locking means to release the latter when the movable element IS in upper posltion.

13. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a carriage element, a segment element, one of said elements being movable from lower position to upper position, means including a shift lever for moving the movable element from lower position to upper position, means cooperating with the shift lever for locking themovable element in its upper position, and a carriage centralizing lever cooperable with the locking means to release the latterivhen the movable element is in upper position.

14. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a carriage element, a segment element, one of said elements being movable from lower position to upper position, means for shifting the movable element from the lower position to the upper position, means cooperating with the shift lever for locking the movable element in its upper position, and a carriage centralizing lever cooperable with the locking means to release the latter when the movable element is in upper position and cooperable with the carriage in either position of the movable element.

15. In a typewriting machine, the combi nation with a carriage movable from lower position to upper position, means for shiftthe carriage from its lower position to its upper position, means for locking the car riage in its upper position, and acarriage centralizing device cooperable with the locking means to release the latter when the carriage is in upper position.

16. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a carriage, means including a shift lever for moving the carriage from lower position to upper position, means cooperating with the shift lever for locking the carriage in its upper position, and a carriage centralizing device cooperable with the shift lever to release the locking meanswhen the carriage is in its upper posit-ion.

17. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a carriage element, a segment ele ment, one of said elements being movable from lower position to upper position,means including a centrally pivoted shift lever for moving the movable element from lower position to upper position, means cooperating with one end ofthe shift lever for looking the movable element in its lower position, means cooperating with the other end of the shift lever for locking the movable element in its upper position, and independently operable means located at opposite ends'of the lever for releasing the last menioned locking means.

18. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a carriage element, a segment element, one of said elements being movable from lower position to upper position means includi 'ig a centrally pivoted shift lever for moving the movable element from lower position to upper position, means cooperating with one end of the shift lever for looking the movable element in its lower position,

means cooperating with the other end of the.

shift lever for locking the movable element in its upper position, and independently operable means located at opposite ends of thelever for releasing the last mentioned locking means, one of said independently operable means being a centralizing device for the carriage and normally disposed out i of the path of the carriage travel and normally disposed outof cooperative relation with the shift lever. V

19. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a carriage and a motor for moving the carriage in one direction, of an escapement mechanism for the carriage, means for releasing said escapement mechanism,,. a device normally out of the path of movement of the carriage and movable into said path for cooperation with the carriage to center the latter, said device being directly engaged by the carriage and held in its operative position by the carriage under the influenceof said motor, and means for automatically returning said device to its normal position upon movement of the carriage in a direction opposite the direction of movement influenced by the motor; V

V In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

GEORGE E. HANDLEY; 

